Repeated Incidents of Railway Crossing Barriers Impaling Cars Raise Safety Concerns

[webfact]

 

In a shocking incident at the railway crossing, a steel barrier pierced through the windshield of a car, narrowly missing the driver's face. Simultaneously, another vehicle approaching from behind collided with the shattered glass.

 

The locals have expressed their daily frustration as the railway authorities have not adequately addressed the persistent issue, leading to heated tensions in the community, reported Naew Na.

 

On June 15, 2023, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Pol. Lt. Yosaworit Thongsongsohm, the investigating officer from Huai Yod Police Station, received a report regarding an accident involving a railway crossing barrier impaling two cars. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

The incident occurred on the railway road at kilometer 790/12-13 in Moo 6, Nong Changlan Subdistrict, Huai Yod District, Trang Province. Upon receiving the notification, the officer immediately proceeded to the scene, accompanied by railway officials and traffic police officers.

 

Approximately 5 meters away from the actual railway crossing, a pickup truck was found wedged between the railway barrier, spanning nearly 10 meters. The vehicle was severely twisted and bent, with the barrier piercing through the front windshield, barely missing the driver's side.

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

The impact caused the car to collide with the interior ceiling, with the barrier also penetrating the rear glass, resulting in extensive damage. Shards of glass were scattered throughout the passenger compartment. The driver and the owner of the vehicle were identified as Lieutenant Colonel Anut Sukdam, also known as "Dap Kong," aged 38, an officer in charge of security and suppression at Huai Yod Police Station. Fortunately, they sustained no injuries.

 

In front of the pickup truck, a sedan was also found stuck against the railway barrier, with its front windshield shattered. However, it did not penetrate the passenger compartment.

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

The driver was identified as Miss Ratchanee (surname withheld), aged 39, a resident of Ron Phibun District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. She also did not sustain any injuries. Both parties involved in the incident remained at the scene, waiting to meet with the police.

 

Lieutenant Colonel Anut, the driver of the pickup truck, stated that he was the sole occupant of the vehicle. He had just finished his shift at Huai Yod Police Station and was heading back home to Nong Prue Subdistrict, Ratsada District, Trang Province, which was approximately 5 kilometers away.

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

As he drove continuously, upon reaching the railway crossing, he noticed that the barrier was not lowered. He looked left and right before attempting to cross the tracks. Unexpectedly, the barrier suddenly descended rapidly, impaling his vehicle.

 

The incident serves as a grave reminder of the urgent need for improved safety measures at railway crossings. The local community demands immediate action from the railway authorities to prevent such accidents and ensure the well-being of commuters.

 

Top Picture: Naew Na

 

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[ChrisY1]

Driving slower at crossings and taking notice of flashing lights, which this crossing is showing, may have prevented this incident.

This particular crossing has been installed at an insane angle to the tracks…..no thought at all by the designers.

Thais don’t give a fig for rail crossings….like pedestrian crossings, they ignore them!

[KannikaP]

Don't the lights and bells start well before the barrier drops?

They were obviously trying to beat the barrier.

[KannikaP]

8 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

This particular crossing has been installed at an insane angle to the tracks

Does that really matter. Bells & lights, and barrier mean STOP.

[flyingtlger]

58 minutes ago, webfact said:

Unexpectedly, the barrier suddenly descended rapidly, impaling his vehicle.

An unlikely explanation of events.....

More like, "We thought we could make it".

 

[Crossy]

Long, long ago (2005 ish), myself and a couple of colleagues had a contract to survey all SRT crossings in an area covering Bangkok up to Ayutthaya and across to Chachoengsao. We drove many hundreds of km and visited a heck of a lot of crossings.

 

The aim was to cost out refurbishment and upgrade to said crossings.

 

The actual survey results are lost in the annals of time but the stand-out memory is that the number of crossings where one or more of 

• Warning lights (red flashing and rotating yellow)
• Annoying "pling-pling" sound
• Barriers
• Train driver warning signs

didn't function was worrying.

 

Many crossings had a manually operated barrier instead.

 

Sadly, the estimated cost of fixing all this stuff scared SRT and the job wasn't given to my employer. I doubt that many crossings ever got sorted properly ????

 

On the positive side we did get to meet a lot of interesting people and scare my mum in law by turning up unexpectedly (her home was next to a crossing in Ban Pha-Chi).

[worgeordie]

I can make it , I can make it .......crash ! <deleted>

 

regards worgeordie

[Ralf001]

The rapidly descending barrier...... did its brakes fail ?

[blackshadow]

PERHAPS no maintainence/servicing plays a BIG part !!!!!

[Yellowtail]

2 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

 

This particular crossing has been installed at an insane angle to the tracks…..no thought at all by the designers.

 

Uhhhm someone likely hit it and knocked it to the "insane" angle at some point prior to the most recent accident. 

 

Incidentally, the arms on the crossings in the US use break-off bolts so when you hit them they just bust off. 

 

 

[KhunBENQ]

If they have proof that the warning lights and the alarm sound didn't work they can come back and complain.

Otherwise it is just another case of "why bother".

If they were on a motorbike they would even ignore the barrier and swerve around.

They should be thankful not being crushed by a train.

[ignore it]

Nah

Couldn't be the driver's fault could it.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

As he drove continuously, upon reaching the railway crossing, he noticed that the barrier was not lowered. He looked left and right before attempting to cross the tracks. Unexpectedly, the barrier suddenly descended rapidly, impaling his vehicle.

BS.... 

[kennw]

9 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Don't the lights and bells start well before the barrier drops?

They were obviously trying to beat the barrier.

A typical not my fault excuse, obviously trying to beat the closing barrier

[jaywalker]

9 hours ago, Crossy said:

Long, long ago (2005 ish), myself and a couple of colleagues had a contract to survey all SRT crossings in an area covering Bangkok up to Ayutthaya and across to Chachoengsao. We drove many hundreds of km and visited a heck of a lot of crossings.

 

The aim was to cost out refurbishment and upgrade to said crossings.

 

The actual survey results are lost in the annals of time but the stand-out memory is that the number of crossings where one or more of 

• Warning lights (red flashing and rotating yellow)
• Annoying "pling-pling" sound
• Barriers
• Train driver warning signs

didn't function was worrying.

 

Many crossings had a manually operated barrier instead.

 

Sadly, the estimated cost of fixing all this stuff scared SRT and the job wasn't given to my employer. I doubt that many crossings ever got sorted properly ????

 

On the positive side we did get to meet a lot of interesting people and scare my mum in law by turning up unexpectedly (her home was next to a crossing in Ban Pha-Chi).

No hab budget.

 

==========

Reminds me of 2013 when I got to inspect 70 each HMMWV (Humvee) Army trucks headed to Sudan on a UN mission. These were Vintage 1985-86 model trucks. I had a stack of paperwork 6 inches thick documenting why 43 of them should not even be driven out the gates of the Army base. What is is known in in the industry as DEAD-LINED/UNSAFE TO OPERATE. Steering linkage falling apart, leaking brake calipers etc...

 

They smiled at me, painted them white and shipped them out.

[spidermike007]

Thailand has spent 70 years avoiding improving their rail system. Only now, are they beginning to wake up. The cost to the nation is horrific. Alot of the traffic congestion on the roads is due to a lack of an alternative cargo transportation system, that could have been addressed by rail, decades ago. Instead the highways are literally choked with trucks of all sizes, hogging the fast lanes, with a complete lack of any sort of deterrent. It is an ugly, sickening, disgusting, and foul situation. It is so much harder to get around, than it needs to be. One administration after another is at fault. Though I dislike Prayuth and his goons immensely, at least they are beginning to deal with this enormous issue.

 

 

[brianthainess]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

he noticed that the barrier was not lowered. He looked left and right before attempting to cross the tracks. Unexpectedly, the barrier suddenly descended rapidly, impaling his vehicle.

If the barrier was up, and the lights were not flashing, why would you need to almost stop to look left and right Oh I forgot TIT.   He is a Cop so must be telling the truth init 

I'm surprised his pants didn't catch fire... maybe too wet....

[Muhendis]

10 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Don't the lights and bells start well before the barrier drops?

Not at the railway crossing in Buriram.

Bells and lights and barrier-lowering all at the same time.

The man in the trackside shed doesn't give a monkeys about what is happening on the crossing.

I have seen slow moving traffic get trapped between the barriers. Fortunately the man in the trackside shed saw it too and raised the barrier to allow the car to proceed and get off the track.

[Yellowtail]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Thailand has spent 70 years avoiding improving their rail system. Only now, are they beginning to wake up. The cost to the nation is horrific. Alot of the traffic congestion on the roads is due to a lack of an alternative cargo transportation system, that could have been addressed by rail, decades ago. Instead the highways are literally choked with trucks of all sizes, hogging the fast lanes, with a complete lack of any sort of deterrent. It is an ugly, sickening, disgusting, and foul situation. It is so much harder to get around, than it needs to be. One administration after another is at fault. Though I dislike Prayuth and his goons immensely, at least they are beginning to deal with this enormous issue.

 

 

Quite a lot of freight trains in Thailand, given the size. 

[spidermike007]

16 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

Quite a lot of freight trains in Thailand, given the size. 

Incorrect. Thailand has one of the lowest levels of goods moved by freight, in the developing world. I live close to the north/south main rail, and barely ever see a cargo train. If I see one, it has 8 cars. It is both a shame and an abomination. Total neglect.

 

Want to see what a real freight train looks like, just look at the trains in the US, where massive amounts of goods are moved around by rail, thereby freeing up the need for many, many more trucks on the highways.

 

 

 

[In Full Agreement]

On 6/16/2023 at 8:05 AM, Crossy said:

Sadly, the estimated cost of fixing all this stuff scared SRT and the job wasn't given to my employer. I doubt that many crossings ever got sorted properly ????

 

 

Makes perfect sense to me.    Why not save the cost of upgrades and  just not worry about a few deaths.        

[Yellowtail]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Incorrect. Thailand has one of the lowest levels of goods moved by freight, in the developing world. I live close to the north/south main rail, and barely ever see a cargo train. If I see one, it has 8 cars. It is both a shame and an abomination. Total neglect.

 

Want to see what a real freight train looks like, just look at the trains in the US, where massive amounts of goods are moved around by rail, thereby freeing up the need for many, many more trucks on the highways.

Not sure where you are, but there are plenty of coal trains and some container trains as well. 

 

Given Thailand's  population density and production/population proximity to the seaports, extensive freight lines make little sense. 

 

About half the containers from China are unloaded at Los Angeles and Long Beach. Loading a train to move 400 containers from the Southern California thousands of miles across the county makes a lot of sense. Loading a train go 100 miles from Laem Chabang to Bangkok does not. 

 

 

[3NUMBAS]

better than rising bollards that impaill your car from underneath